This invention relates to systems for feeding animals based upon stored computer information. More particularly, this invention relates to methods for feeding individual animals which are dependent upon the animal's own individual performance in relation to the desired performance of the animal.
In the prior art, various computerized animal feeding systems have been described. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,788,278, there is provided a method for feeding animals based upon some particular physical characteristic of the animal, and feeding is adjusted based upon this measured physical characteristic. However, no provision is made for monitoring the amount of feed consumed by the animal and adjusting this amount in relation to a predetermined mathematical formula.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,049,950 discloses an apparatus for determining and registering the amount of food consumed by animals, so that a predetermined amount of food is consumed by the animal each day. However, this patent does not provide a method for adjusting the amount of food to be consumed by the animals based upon predicted or desired performance goals of the animal or for changing the amount of food to accomplish these performance goals. U.S. Pat. No. 3,557,757 discloses that cows may be fed based upon an external mathematical formula such as the animal's place in a theoretical feed cycle. However, no provision is made for adjusting feeding based upon the actual performance of the animal or the amount of food consumed as compared to the feed cycle. In other words, each animal at the same point in a feed cycle is fed the same amount of food regardless of the performance of that animal.
The device in U.S. Pat. No. 3,929,277 simply monitors the amount of food consumed by an animal, but does not make any adjustments based upon an external program.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,541,995 identifies particular animals which are at a feed station and discharges feed to the animal based upon a predetermined program. The inventors recognize that many factors influence the milk production of an animal and suggest that feeding be individualized according to where the cow is in her lactating cycle. However, the device disclosed in the patent does not make adjustments in the amount of food provided based upon an animal's individual characteristics during a lactating cycle.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to develop a reliable, cost effective, individual animal feeding system which allows animals efficiently to be fed.
It is another object of this invention to provide a system which feeds animals based upon the animal's performance in relation to desired performance goals. The system should provide a minimum amount of computer entries and should allow for management of animals which have not eaten their allocated ration. As a result, profits on the sale of the animals will be increased.